Shannon Stewart Off the Market
The Blue Jays have signed veteran outfielder Shannon Stewart to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Remarkably, the Athletics will receive a supplemental pick at the end of the first round in the 2008 draft as compensation. Isn’t it time that MLB takes another look at the compensation structure? I realize Stewart is a solid .290 hitter, but consider that the A’s get essentially the same compensation as the Phillies will receive for Aaron Rowand, and the D’Backs for Livan Hernandez. Something is amiss.
Several MetsToday readers were supporters of a Stewart signing, but I’m not losing any sleep over him signing north of the border. Yes, he fits the veteran RH OF bat they need, but he’s also old, fragile, and not accustomed to a bench role.
By the way, the signing of Stewart creates something of a logjam in the Jays’ outfield. It would appear that 24-year-old lefty slugger Adam Lind or veteran RH hitter Reed Johnson could get squeezed out. Something to keep an eye on.
Other player movement in the last few days …
Major League Deals:
– Byung-Hyun Kim with the Pirates
– Josh Fogg with the Reds
– Shawn Chacon with the Astros
Minor League Contracts / ST Invites:
– Trot Nixon with the Diamondbacks
– Tomo Ohka with the White Sox
– Jason Tyner with the Indians
– Russell Branyan with the Brewers
– Ron Villone with the Cardinals
– Bubba Crosby with the Mariners
– Odalis Perez with the Nationals
– Alex Cintron with the Cubs
– Bret Boone with the Nationals (!)
– Matt LeCroy with the A’s
In addition, Jeremy Brown — immortalized in Moneyball
Finally, C-OF Craig Wilson was released by the Reds after spending only a few hours in camp.
Per the Cincinnati Enquirer:
Wilson, who was in camp Wednesday, apparently failed his physical. He had signed a minor-league deal with the Reds.
The Reds did not say why Wilson failed the physical and were non-committal about a possible return.
“I don’t know,” Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said Thursday. “We’ll see.”
